The collection, with an estimated value of 4 to 5 million euros (4.4 to 5.5 million dollars), includes sculptures, paintings by painters such as Eugène Delacroix and drawings from the Italian Renaissance, including one by Veronese.
The set will be exhibited between May and June in a traveling exhibition in New York, Hong Kong, Geneva, London and Paris, before the auction.
“I bought my first drawing in 1964 in London. Over the years I acquired drawings, paintings and sculptures that moved me, spoke to me and even moved me,” the 87-year-old actor said in the sale’s catalogue.
“These works accompanied me for many years and are part of my life,” he said.
Among the works, an oil painting by the French painter Raoul Dufy entitled “The beach of Sainte-Adresse, 1906”, estimated between 600,000 and 800,000 euros, and a painting by Eugène Delacroix from 1825 entitled “Arab horse tied to a stake” (400,000 to 600,000 euros), he said when presenting the sale Arnaud Cornette of the Saint Cyr house.
In 2007, Delon got rid of his modern works, telling Le Monde newspaper “that he preferred to liquidate this now” as he hates posthumous sales.
In this auction, which included works by artists such as Estève, Manessier and Olivier Debré, seven world records were recorded, partly due to the popularity of the owner of the collection.
In 2016, having parted with his collection of wines, watches and weapons, Delon proceeded to auction off a collection of Bugatti bronzes with great success.